Resistive random access memory is based on the idea that a dielectric, which is normally insulating, can be forced to conduct. This can be accomplished, for example, through at least one filament or conduction path formed after application of a sufficiently high voltage across the dielectric material. Different mechanisms, such as defects, metal migration, etc., can lead to the formation of this conducting path(s). Once the conducting path(s) is formed, it may be reset, e.g., broken, resulting in a high resistance or set, e.g., re-formed, resulting a in lower resistance by an appropriately applied voltage. An appropriate electronic evaluation circuit may then be used to read the memory cell comprising the electrically modified conductance of this dielectric material. ReRAM and CBRAM like memory cells change their conductive state when an external electric field is applied thereto. If a unipolar read operation is used to read the state of the memory cell then the “memorized” resistance value of the memory cell will be disturbed.